Hao had already leaped ahead, shielding most of the children from the incoming attacks. He anxiously roared, “Quickly retreat! Hao Sword Group, fall back to the rear immediately!!!”
These words awakened the group from their panic. Lou Wei, although young, possessed natural leadership qualities. She immediately led the group flying backward. However, the Sword Group would not let them escape so easily. Several top sword masters had already drawn their swords. Without even appearing to swing, they unleashed sharp sword beams. In an instant, the sky was filled with blinding white flashes of sword light, like demons descending from heaven. These deadly beams shot rapidly toward the children who had not yet managed to retreat.
In the Galactic Empire, the identity of cultivators was always shrouded in mystery—not only because of their exalted status, but also because their cultivation methods were the Empire’s greatest secret.
Just as Yang Hao had learned at the advanced academy on the planet Reimann, the Galactic Empire forbade ordinary people from cultivation. Soldiers, even officers, were only allowed to study several basic techniques of the Empire. They were strictly prohibited from using any form of primal energy or true qi within their bodies.
But this did not mean that cultivation techniques had vanished entirely. The ancient cultivation arts passed down from the immortal cultivators of old had now become the private heritage of certain families. Within the Galactic Empire, only the descendants of these families or those affiliated with the Senate were allowed to pursue such secret practices. Cultivators, like Yang Hao, all possessed true qi, each trained in their own unique methods. It was even said that the strongest among them could wield spells and treasures like celestial immortals.
The King Sword Group before Yang Hao was naturally far different from ordinary swordsmen. Those swordsmen had not yet broken free from the Empire’s basic techniques, but sword masters at this level had undergone a complete transformation. Each had spent decades in cultivation, possessing post-natal true qi. When they held their swords, their sword qi could surge forth with their true qi. From Yang Hao’s perspective, these sword masters were just like him—they could all use flying swords.
The white beams of sword qi were nearly as powerful as flying swords themselves. How could Yang Hao possibly block them all? Already overwhelmed, he could only watch helplessly as the beams neared the Hao Sword Group.
Fortunately, there was still someone else beside him—Maya, the loudmouth who loved to stir up trouble. Though Maya was reckless and impulsive, she had extensive combat experience. When she saw the King Sword Group charging in, she quickly assessed the enemy’s strength. Now, seeing Yang Hao desperately holding the line, even at the cost of his own life to protect the children, she was deeply moved.
“Let me handle this!” Maya transformed her body into a spiritual form and used the Great Sage Guidance Technique. In an instant, she slightly deflected the incoming sword beams. Though the shift was small, it slowed the beams just enough. In the split second of hesitation, the Hao Sword Group managed to retreat to the rear with minimal losses.
“Hmph! It’s useless!” Wang Mu sneered, seeing his first strike fail. “You’re all going to die. Not one of you will escape.”
As he spoke, his hand moved without delay. He raised his seemingly omnipotent scepter high into the air and commanded loudly, “Formation of the King!!”
Formation of the King!!
It was a name capable of shaking the heavens. Even within the Empire’s elite military forces, the mere mention of this phrase would silence any room. Countless people had sought to defeat it, but few had succeeded.
The Formation of the King was an ancient array technique passed down by the Wang family. Its origins were said to trace back to ancient sword immortals, though few knew the exact lineage. Regardless, after the Wang family adopted it, the formation easily elevated them to the pinnacle of the Ten Sword Streams, making them a pillar of the Empire.
It could be said that the Formation of the King was the very foundation of the Wang family’s power. Much of their strength and influence stemmed from this invincible formation.
In the past, Wang Tao had allowed his swordsmen to study the Formation of the King, though they had not even mastered its initial stages. Yet even that partial understanding had made them the strongest force among the sword groups. Although Yang Hao had defeated Wang Tao’s swordsmen using the Aurora technique, that had not been a failure of the Formation—it had not even been deployed yet.
Now, standing before Yang Hao was the King Sword Group itself. When the Wang family first acquired the ancient formation, it had no name. It was only after the King Sword Group spent years refining and using it that the technique became known as the Formation of the King. Thus, this array was the sword group’s ultimate trump card.
The Formation of the King was designed to combine the strength of many individuals, refine it into a unified force, and then amplify it dozens of times before unleashing it. When activated, it could shake the heavens and earth. The key to the formation was absolute unity of mind—each participant had to be completely focused, with no distractions. Just by observing the earlier synchronized movements of the sword masters, it was clear that they had long trained together as one.
After Wang Mu issued his command, the sword group moved like machines following the same program. Before Yang Hao, within a hundred meters, hundreds of sword masters formed a dense array. Some floated high in the air, others linked limbs like acrobats, and some crouched low to the ground, eyes fixed like hawks locked onto prey.
“We’re done for!” Hunyuan Zi’s senses were the sharpest. He was the first to feel the enemy gathering their strength—a force so immense that even he, with a thousand years of experience, had not felt its like since a thousand years ago. It was the era of sword immortals, where sects clashed with grand arrays, swords flying through the air, people invisible beneath the storm of blades, blood raining down, and countless nascent souls perishing in the merciless sword storm.
It was a rain of death from which there was no escape, no evasion. In that storm, the only outcome was death—not even a soul’s final hope could survive. Under such a killing formation, no matter how many people Yang Hao had, they would all perish. Once the Formation of the King was unleashed, Yang Hao and his group would vanish into oblivion, like smoke dissipating into the sky.
“Run now! You can’t beat this!” Hunyuan Zi was deeply anxious. Though he had lived a thousand years, he had no desire to die. “With your current strength, you can escape before the formation is unleashed.”
Yang Hao’s sword skills were still lacking, but his inner power was strong. His abundant true qi had already placed him among the ranks of masters. If he truly abandoned everyone and fled, there would be few capable of stopping him.
But how could Yang Hao do such a thing? He had already prepared to die here. Moreover, there were still the members of the Hao Sword Group, Maya, and Kevin with his Demon Sword Group. Even if he sent everyone else away, he would never leave first. It was his personal code, the line Hunyuan Zi could never change.
So, from Hunyuan Zi’s perspective, from Wang Mu’s, from the sword group’s—Yang Hao was doomed. His ragtag subordinates were as good as dead.
If time could replay, if centuries later Wang Mu and others recalled this day, they would still believe Yang Hao was destined to die. It could be said that even if a celestial immortal descended, there would be no way to save Yang Hao.
But time did not replay. Not even in the way Wang Mu and others had imagined.
Yang Hao did not die. He didn’t need a celestial immortal to save him—he saved himself. Though the method was utterly unbelievable, his actions, though always defying logic, somehow always worked—too well, in fact. Thus, this battle was destined to become a classic, an eternal mark in history—Yang Hao’s legendary moment.
And a lifelong shame for the Empire and the Wang family.
As the sword group completed their formation, ready to unleash their flying swords, the Formation of the King poised to strike, Yang Hao suddenly raised a rod-like object resembling a scepter.
Of course, he didn’t actually have a scepter. He had simply seen Wang Mu waving his around and decided to imitate him, picking up a branch and swinging it with flair. Yang Hao raised his “scepter” to the sky and loudly declared, “Formation!!”
At this brazen shout, the Demon Bear Group instantly fell into chaos. The cursed bears pushed and shoved each other, toppling over like dominoes, many falling to the ground, even losing their pants in the scramble.
At that moment, the King Sword Group could have launched their formation and ended the battle. But unfortunately, Wang Mu and the sword masters were all martial fanatics. Hearing that the enemy also had a formation, they were too curious to strike immediately, choosing instead to pause and watch what Yang Hao was up to.
What Yang Hao was doing was indeed strange—but it was chaos incarnate. He had clearly taught the formation to those idiotic bears, yet these fools couldn’t manage it at all. At the critical moment, they were in complete disarray. Watching the enemy’s orderly formation while his own side descended into pandemonium, Yang Hao was so furious his face turned white.
“Fools,” Wang Mu sneered coldly. “You call this a formation?”
“How is it not a formation? It’s my original design!” Yang Hao, defiant to the end, retorted. “Let me tell you, this formation of mine is no ordinary one. Once it’s fully set, it will take your lives.”
“Hah!” Wang Mu, proud as ever, would not be intimidated by Yang Hao. Hearing Yang Hao’s boast, he waved his scepter magnanimously. “I’ll let you finish your formation. Let me see what tricks you have.”
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